In her speech, National Assembly deputy Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nga of Quang Binh province expressed concerns that supplementary classes are placing undue pressure on students, contradicting the goal of educational reform. While she commended the Ministry of Education and Training’s Circular 29 on private tutoring ban, she emphasised that the Circular is not a perfect fix, especially in light of intense academic expectations and high-stakes testing.

“Minister, could you please elaborate on the underlying root causes of this issue and the fundamental solutions to resolve it in a sustainable way?” the deputy inquired.

In response, Son explained that private tutoring exists because of various systemic shortages, including inadequate teacher salaries, a lack of school infrastructure, parental pressure, incomplete education reforms, and weak governance.

He pointed to the fact that teachers do not earn enough to make a living, so many must teach extra classes to supplement their income. In urban areas, the scarcity of quality schools creates fierce competition.

“In some cases, the pressure of entering high school is even more intense than getting into university,” he noted.

The minister admitted that from school leaders to classroom teachers, the implementation of curriculum reform remains inconsistent and incomplete. In addition, the oversight of private tutoring and the broader educational management system is ineffective and poorly coordinated.

He agreed that although significant progress has been made in implementing the Circular, many necessary conditions and prerequisites are still lacking.

“There is no overnight solution. What we need is a comprehensive and long-term approach,” he said, calling for fundamental changes across salary policies, curriculum, parental engagement, and governance.

During the question time, National Assembly Nguyen Thi Le Thuy of Ben Tre province also raised questions regarding the implementation of the Circular on extra classes, stating that it has been ineffective. She pointed out that the gap between policy and practical application remains wide, which has significantly affected schools, teachers, parents, and students.

“What is the main reason behind this situation? Could it be due to shortcomings in the legal drafting and regulatory approach? What fundamental solutions does the Minister propose to better manage extra teaching and tutoring activities?” she asked.

Minister Son acknowledged that the success of any policy depends not just on what’s written in the official documents but on effective implementation across all administrative levels.

“After the Circular was issued, the Ministry immediately sent inspection teams. In fact, several localities have implemented it quite effectively,” he stated. “It would be unfair to say the Circular is being ignored nationwide.”

He held that the Circular has only been in effect for a short time, and that “It’s too early to draw conclusions about its overall impact.”

Son also emphasised that Circular No. 29 is not merely intended to address a social issue, it is part of a broader reform effort aimed at transforming the school system.

The Education Minister further pointed out that any solution must be comprehensive, including the need to fully and effectively implement the official curriculum. Teachers, he said, must uphold their professional responsibilities during regular class hours, adopt modern teaching methods, and meet updated educational standards.

Schools suspend academic tutoring as strict regulations are imposed

VOV.VN - Many schools in Hanoi have announced a halt to academic tutoring after the Ministry of Education and Training (MoIT) promulgated a new circular (Circular 29) which seeks to impose stricter regulations on the practice.